Will you be there in the morning?
by thekatthatbarks
Summary: Deanna hasn't showed up for class in a week. Cassie shows up at her apartment worried to only find a very on edge Deanna Winchester. Deanna is sick of her long string of hookups and one night stands. Can Cassie show her there's more to her than that? Fem!Destiel
1. You think I love you out of obligation?

Deanna was walking to her Creative writing class when she saw her and her face fell as fast as it had lit up. The beautiful redheaded angel that had been running through her mind the past week was strolling hand in hand with a tall handsome man Deanna recognized as one of Cassie's friends.

Deanna wasn't one to let things get to her though. She walked over to the couple and was a little unsettled by Anna's reaction to the blonde woman approaching her. There was a flash of annoyance before Anna plastered a fake smile on her face.

"Hey, Anna," Deanna greeted her awkwardly starting to wonder why she walked over in the first place.

"Deanna," Anna nodded her head at her clearly uncomfortable which really pissed Deanna off. She knew running into someone you had slept with was awkward, but Anna was acting like she didn't even want to acknowledge Deanna.

Now, Deanna was fully aware with her luck in relationships and her commitment issue, with her long history of a string of hookups and one night stands hardly ever bothering to remember any of the girls' names. But she had thought Anna was different. Even though Deanna had picked her up the way she picked nearly everyone up, at a club, she had felt a spark and foolishly thought Anna had felt it too. They had talked the whole night (well, not the whole night) and there was a connection there, Deanna had been sure of it. But she had been clearly mistaken. If waking up in her bed alone again wasn't enough to go buy, Anna avoiding her gaze while intimately holding some guy's hand was a vivid neon blinking sign.

The man looked at Deanna curiously, "Anna, darling who is this?"

Anna looked up at him attentively, "Just a friend, Uriel."

Deanna scoffed at that. She understood if Anna didn't want to see her again, Deanna knew she wasn't the type of girl you wrote home about. She got that and there was no hard feelings. But pretending they had never been together? Friends? No, that wasn't cool and Deanna felt insulted. She wasn't going to be anyone's dirty little secret.

"Oh, I don't know if friend is the appropriate word, Uriel," Deanna smirked at Anna, though she talked to Uriel, "I think were a bit more acquainted than that. Wouldn't you agree, darling?" Deanna kept the grin on her face as Anna glared daggers at her.

Uriel looked between the two women in confusion, "What is she talking about, Anna?"

"Nothing," Anna said quickly.

"Nothing? You call a long sweaty orgasm filled night in my apartment nothing? Or are you referring to shamelessly leaving me to wake up alone?"

Anna's eyes had a fierce look in them as Deanna mentioned their one night stand, but Deanna did see the hint of guilt in them when she asked the last question. She said nothing, though.

Uriel looked at Anna in shock before Anna reassured him, "It was before we got together. Don't worry about it."

Deanna was done with mortifying Anna in her childish revenge. "Well, it was nice seeing you again, Anna, but I have to get to class," she spoke through a sarcastic smile and walked away from the couple. Deanna didn't get very far, though, before she heard the conversation.

"I believe you, Anna. But did you really just leave her in the morning after without a word? Even I don't do that."

Anna sighed, "She was just an experiment, Uriel. Nothing more."

Uriel laughed at that, "What? The old experimenting in college thing?"

"Had to know what I was into. I've learned I'm completely heterosexual."

Deanna tried to walk faster to get farther away from the laughing that followed Anna's words. But instead of going towards the English building, Deanna turned in the direction of her apartment where she knew there was a bottle of Jack Daniels in her cuppard.

"I figured if anyone knew what happened to her it would be you, Cassie," Mary Winchester's worried voice rang through the phone.

"I'm sorry, , but I don't," Cassie replied sadly as distraught as her best friend's mother was.

Mary sighed heavily, "Don't worry about it, Cassie. And I told you to call me Mary."

"Right, sorry, Mary. Don't worry, though. Sam and I are going over to her apartment today to see if she'll answer. I hadn't noticed something was wrong with her since I've been caught up in my studies. You must think that's horrible of me."

Cassie heard Mary switch her tone to something she could only compare to a mother trying to teach her child something, "Cassie, daring, being involved in school is very important and nothing to look down upon. It's the end of the semester, of course you would be more focused on school than the people around you. Are you sure it's not too much of a bother, though? You must have finals coming up. Deanna's a big girl she can take care of herself."

Mary had asked, but she already anticipated the reply before Cassie said, "I don't mind ,Mrs. Winchester. Deanna's very important to me, too."

Mary sighed heavily again, "Mary."

Cassie rolled her eyes, "Goodbye, Mary. I'll call you after I check on Deanna."

After ending the call, Cassie dropped her rarely used phone into her trench coat and started for Deanna's apartment. She had been concerned over Deanna before Mary had even called. Deanna hadn't talked to her in over a week, but she figured like her, Deanna was just focusing on last minute papers before the term ended. Which turned out to not be the case when a very worried little brother showed up at her door the night before. She frowned remembering the conversation.

Sam's face looked stressed and his brow creased with worry as Cassie answered the door. It frightened Cassie. She'd never seen Sam so on edge before. She offered him a cup of coffee and motioned for him to sit on the couch.

The overgrown twenty one year old looked ridiculous drinking from Cassie's white little coffee mug taking up half of a couch made for three people. Cassie would have teased him about it, but his face and tone told her something was seriously wrong, so she held in her laughter.

"Sam, would you stop shaking your knee and tell me what is wrong?"

Sam made an effort to stop acting so tense and looked at her, "It's Deanna."

Cassie felt her heart stop, "What? What about her? Is she okay?"

Sam tore away from Cassie's intense stare, thinking he may have been overreacting and was panicking Cassie over nothing. He just didn't know who else to go to. Out of all Deanna's friends, Cassie was definitely the one he liked the most. She was the first person he thought of to go to. Since she came into Deanna's life Deanna seemed happier. Sam thought Cassie was a good influence on his big sister. Though Deanna would never admit it, he was pretty sure she was in love with the small blue eyed girl in front of him. And with the way Cassie looked at Deanna like she hung the damn moon in the sky, the feelings were mutual. Only if the girls could get their heads out of their asses long enough to do anything about it.

"One of her professors cornered me in the hall today. Professor Barnes. That woman is really intimidating. She told me that Deanna hasn't showed up to her class in over a week and said to pass along the warning that she doesn't tolerate that kind of apathy in her students. So, I figured that Deanna was just blowing off class and tried to call her to tell her to get her shit straightened out. But she never picked up the phone She's always been really good about answering when I call. I must've called her at least twenty times. Never answered. So, I decided to do some research and went to her other teachers. They all said the same thing as Professor Barnes. Deanna hasn't been to any of her classes for the past week."

Cassie tried to keep a calm, but felt something churning in her stomach. That wasn't like Deanna. She might not go to the occasional class, but not for a straight week, and she wouldn't let Sam worry like that, she'd pick up the phone. "Did you try her apartment?"

Sam exhaled with his head in his hands, "Yes, banged on the door for nearly an hour and came back and tried again a few hours later. She wouldn't answer. But she has to be there. Impala's parked in the lot. God knows she'd never travel far without it."

Cassie stared at him, becoming really worried and feeling horrible. She should have known something was wrong and checked on Deanna instead of studying.

"I don't know what's wrong with her, Sam. We haven't spoken in a week. I thought...," Cassie trailed off and glanced at her desk where her unfinished theology paper lay. It was due tomorrow, but if something really was wrong with Deanna..

Sam followed her eyes and saw where her thoughts were going. He hadn't considered the fact that it was nearing finals week. Cassie didn't to be worried over his troubled sister. He regretted coming. It was probably just the same old shit that Deanna always broke over. He was probably just overreacting. But she was his sister and he couldn't help worrying over her.

"Look, uh Cassie, it's probably nothing. I'm sorry for bothering you. Don't worry about it," he stopped when he saw the look that Cassie was giving him telling she was not going to just not worry. He compromised trying to get Cassie to just finish her work for the night, because he knew it would kill Deanna if Cassie chose her over school. "Okay, we can go over there and try again tomorrow after your classes are over if you're still worried? Cuz you have papers due don't you?"

Cassie looked defeated but agreed her eyes traveling back to her desk, "Okay. But it's really late, Sam. Just take my guest room for the night."

Sam laughed, "Oh, no, that wouldn't be a good idea. I can survive the walk back to my dorm." He didn't even want to imagine Deanna's reaction to him sleeping over at Cassie's. Even though she wasn't open about her feelings about Cassie, she wouldn't be able to hide her hurt if she thought something happened between him and Cassie.

Cassie didn't seem to understand that, though, as she looked at him with a questioning gaze and tilting her head in confusion. "I don't understand why that wouldn't be a good idea."

Sam chuckled. He thought to himself that the girls could be really oblivious to each other's feeling for one another. "Yeah, I know you don't. Goodnight, Cassie."

"Goodnight, Sam," she called as the front door clicked behind him.

She was pulling up to Deanna's apartment building when her phone rang.

"Hello, Sam," she answered.

"Cassie," Sam sounded distressed, "Are you at Deanna's?"

"Yes, are you on your way as well?"

"My car broke down. I know I told you I'd meet you there, but..."

"It's okay, Sam. I can handle Deanna."

Sam laughed and Cassie wondered why that was funny, "If anyone else said that, I'd tell them they were an idiot. Let me know how it goes. I'll talk to you later, Cassie."

Cassie stared at the phone after Sam hung up. He always seemed to know something she didn't and always left her wondering. Well, another time she'd have to ask, she thought, getting out of her car.

When she finally reached Deanna's door, it was clear Deanna was in there. Rock n' Roll music was blaring loudly from inside. She knocked on the door, but worried if she could even be heard over the mullet music. She tried louder and noticed the music was turned down a few decibels but there was no other response from the other side of the door.

"Deanna! It's Cassie! Please let me talk to you! We're all very worried about you!" Cassie yelled at the door.

This time the music was turned almost completely off with just a low sound humming through the door. Cassie tried again, "Deanna -"

The door swung open and Cassie barley caught a glimpse of Deanna before she turned back into her apartment. Cassie followed her in taking that as an invitation.

Cassie was horrified at the state of the department. The smell of alcohol was very strong and the whole complex was covered in empty beer bottles. But what really alerted Cassie that something was seriously wrong with Deanna was the chaos that the beer bottles were scattered across. Plates were shattered on the floor, imprints of fists were in the walls, feathers were in the carpet like a pillow had been destroyed, beer stains on the walls as if beer bottles had been thrown at them accompanied with more broken glass on the floor, pictures frames were tilted, furniture was turned upside down, even the curtains look like they were torn at in anger. The scene was really frightening.

Cassie turned to the way Deanna had gone. She found her slumped into her couch a whiskey flask clutched tightly in her hand and she was staring forward at the black TV screen. Cassie's jaw dropped at the sight of Deanna, which was way more frightening than the woman's apartment. Deanna's long blonde hair was a mess full with tangles that hadn't been brushed in days, her mascara ran down her cheeks like she'd been crying, she only wore an old AC/DC shirt and boy shorts and they were wrinkled. Then, Deanna's hands were carelessly wrapped with blood stained white gauze, which Cassie assumed was the aftermath of punching the walls. Deanna was barefoot despite the broken glass strewn across the apartment and her feet were covered in small cuts, but Deanna didn't seem to care since they were unattended.

Cassie rushed over to her and knelt in front of her, bringing her hand to Deanna's face and brushing her hair out of it. Deanna turned her head away, refusing to meet Cassie's gaze.

"Deanna? What happened?" Cassie tried to keep her voice from breaking, but Deanna's state scared the shit out of her. She'd never seen her best friend so upset in all of the four years she had known her. Which was saying something. When she met her, Deanna had been in a bad place; drinking her nights away, working at her uncle's auto shop, sleeping with random strangers, self loathing, and just about to throw her life away. Cassie felt like she had somehow saved Deanna from herself. Cassie met her when her car broke down and Deanna had came to tow it and they had became friends. Deanna had just gone along with it never having many friends, she never expected to still be friends years later. Cassie had forced her to get her act together. She had stopped drinking so excessively and Cassie had even managed to drag her off to college with her.

Deanna didn't answer her question, "Cas, what the hell are you doing here?" She turned back to her and her eyes were dead and Cassie didn't feel the usual warmth she had associated with the candy apple green eyes. It was like Deanna had broken.

Cassie was taken aback by the harsh tone, but recovered quickly. Someone needed to be in control and Deanna obviously wasn't, so Cassie would have to be. She couldn't let her friend's cold words get to her. She knew Deanna didn't really mean them.

"Because I'm worried about you. You haven't gone to class in a week, you won't answer Sam's or your mother's calls, your apartment is covered in alcohol. Something is obviously wrong, Deanna. What is it? I can help you."

Deanna laughed darkly at her, "You can't help me, Cas."

"Why?"

"Because it's not something you can fix with sweet words."

"What is it, Deanna?"

Deanna turned away from her again, getting up from the couch and walking to the kitchen. Cassie followed behind her.

Deanna grabbed a beer from the fridge, her flask now empty. She ignored Cassie's presence and skillfully opened the bottle with a knife. She lifted it to her lips, but before she could take a drink, Cassie grabbed the bottle and threw it at the floor, not really caring since the floor was already covered.

That sparked something in Deanna, "What the hell!?"

Cassie invaded her space, "You can't drink away your problems, Deanna!"

"Well, I can sure as hell try!" Deanna yelled back and stalked away back to the den. Cassie was tired of trying the gentle approach, she wasn't going to get through to Deanna that way.

"Deanna! Don't just walk away from me, I'm trying to help you!"

Deanna stopped in her tracks but didn't turn to face her, "I'm just so fucking tired, Cas," she whispered so low Cassie wasn't sure she heard her right.

"Tired of what?"

Deanna finally looked at her, "Tired of being used. Tired of feeling dirty. I'm sick of all these fucking one night stands and meaningless hookups. I just want something more. I try, but I never get it and I never will."

"Don't say that, Deanna. You'll find it, you just have to have -"

"What? Faith? Fuck that, Cas. No, I'm sick of hoping. All these people just see me as a nice night, a fun time, a fucking experiment. You're so naive, ya know? You think there's good in everyone. You think God's plan is for the best, Well, you know what his plan is for me? To show these women, what not to look for in a relationship, a sign to get you're shit together if you're with me. And you know what? Good. I ain't worth anything. I just fail every godforsaken thing I care about. And everyone knows that I'm poison. They all realize it at some point. S'why I always wake up alone, there's no point in staying after you use me. It's all I'm good for. Sex."

"Deanna," Cassie stared at her helplessly. When did she spiral down so low? "Well, maybe you're looking in the wrong place. Women getting picked up at bars can't be looking for love."

By Deanna's face she knew she shouldn't have said that. "Well, Cas, please enlighten me. Where am I supposed to find a good woman who happens to also be into women? You don't know what it's like. When you're heterosexual, you can just assume everyone is too, and it's usually right. Sure, the occasional gay guy will turn you down, but he won't look at you like you're a freak for being heterosexual. I can't just meet someone and fall in love with her and the whole time she's just thinking were really good friends and I have to walk in on her with her boyfriend. Since I'm a girl, it's creepy and perverted, and I shouldn't have thought she liked me like that. Then, it's awkward for her and I should find a new roommate. The gay bars? Yeah, they're the only place I know there are other lesbians for sure and I know I won't be judged fro being gay. Cuz they're all gay, too."

Cassie looked sadly at her, knowing that that wasn't hypothetical, remembering Deanna being thrown on the streets because her feelings for her roommate were so unwelcome.

''So, you're just going to give up? Drink yourself to death?"

"Not like anyone would truly be torn up about it."

Cassie was enraged, "Are you fucking kidding me, Deanna!?"

Deanna stared at her startled. Cassie didn't usually curse. "I have plenty of mornings waking up alone to prove that."

"So, you think that just because of the frisky women you sleep with don't stick around, no one loves you? That's bullshit and you know it. You deserve better than someone who will let you get into their pants because you bought them a few drinks. You have better than that. Are you fucking blind?"

"Yeah, who? My parents? Sam? You? Cas, you don't understand. There's something different from someone loving you because of obligation. They're my family, they're supposed to love me. But no one's ever chosen to love me."

Cassie scoffed, "Obligation? You think I love you out of obligation?"

"Okay, well, still I need more than that, Cas. I'm sorry. I know that's selfish. But I need someone romantically. You don't look for so much in a friend. But in a partner? You have to love everything, you have to stick around. I just want that."

Deanna turned her back on Cassie, seeing the conversation as done. But Cassie was no where near finished.

"Deanna, you're an idiot!"

Deanna swirled around, "What?"

"Four years! Four fucking years! I've been with you. I tried to save you from yourself, when people told me you were far from saving. But I didn't listen," Cassie took a step forward, "Because they were wrong. You could be saved. You just had to have someone to lean on for once. Everyone expects so much from you. Your mother worked the nighttime shifts as a nurse. Your father was off in rehab. You had to raise Sam, because no one else was around. Your father wasn't there. Your mother had to lean on you. But who did you get to lean on? No one. So, when you needed help you couldn't turn to anyone because that's not you. You don't ask for help. But I cared about you. I saw something in you when we met. Your soul was so bright hidden under your rough exterior. I wanted to save you. And I thought I actually did. But apparently I did nothing. Because you don't think you deserved to be saved!"

Deanna stared her mouth dropping slightly, "Cas -"

"You idiot," Cassie closed the distance and pressed her lips bruising to Deanna's. Deanna was still, frozen in shock, but she finally gained controlled of herself and kissed Cassie back with as much passion. Deanna felt so much more in that one kiss than she had ever felt in any of her best hookups. She thought it was because she actually loved Cassie. She always had, but she pushed those feelings down deep and ignored them. Cassie was the best thing to ever happen to her and she didn't want to screw it up and taint it. Might be why she tried to find something in sex with people she didn't even care about.

Cassie's tongue danced around Deanna's lips begging for entrance, which Deanna gave her. Cassie moaned into her mouth and made Deanna kiss her even deep. Deanna wrapped an arm around Cassie's waist and pulled her closer and ran her other hand through her hair. Cassie started to nibble on Deanna's bottom lip and Deanna made a pleasured noise, which Cassie wanted to reproduce and she pressed up against Deanna harder and sucked on her lip more tenderly as she tasted Deanna on her tongue.

Deanna seemed to remember the situation, when her hand winced in pain and she pulled away. She gazed into Cassie's eyes and saw nothing but love, but she had to make sure. "Cas, you're not doing this just because I seemed on the edge of a breakdown, right?"

Cassie raised her eyebrows, "Edge? You already jumped off the cliff. No, I'm not. I love you, Deanna."

Deanna wasn't really good with words, so she just leaned back in to brush her lips against Cassie's. Cassie responded, but remembered why they had stopped before.

"Deanna, give me your hands."

Deanna removed her hands from Cassie, unwillingly. Cassie unwound the gauze shaking her head. "I'm almost certain you have at least sprained both of your hands, if not broken them"

Deanna shrugged unbothered, "I'm fine."

"Yeah, right. I'm taking you to the hospital."

"Cas, no. Just, let's just stay here. Take me tomorrow."

"Deanna," Cassie sighed.

"Cas, please?"

"Go try and clean yourself up. I'll pick up around here while you're in the shower."

"Cas, you don't have to do that. I'll get it."

"I'm more capable. Your hands are injured and your feet are no better. You should be lying down."

Deanna smiled at her, "Only if you lie with me."

"I'm not sleeping with you tonight, Deanna," Cassie warned her.

"Not sex, just sleep with me."

"Okay."

While Deanna scrubbed the whiskey out of her pores, Cassie tried to sweep up all the broken glass and collect all the beer bottles. There was just so much. She would never let Deanna get like this again. Another few days and she really would have died from alcohol poisoning. She went to the fridge and dragged out all the beer and found all the whiskey and tequila bottles hidden around the apartment and placed them on the counter. She then poured all of the contents down the sink. She was almost finished when Deanna walked out of the bathroom, face clean, hair brushed, and a fresh t shirt. She looked at Cassie, but didn't comment, knowing it was for the best.

Cassie held her in bed that night. But Deanna wouldn't fall to sleep and to Cassie it looked like she was struggling to stay awake.

"Deanna, do you want me to sing you to sleep?"

Deanna gazed into her eyes intently, "Cas, you'll be here in the morning, won't you?"

Cassie now understood why Deanna refused to go to sleep and smiled sweetly down at her, "Always, Deanna. I won't leave you."

Deanna seemed satisfied with the answer and snuggled back into Cassie's warm embrace. And without a doubt, she woke up in the same loving arms that she fell asleep in.


	2. Does your family know?

"Well, it's about damn time you two pulled your heads out of your asses," Ellen Harvelle smirked at the intertwined fingers on the tabletop with the girls' orders in her hand.

Deanna ignored her comment, "Just give me the damn burgers, Ellen." She blushed and didn't meet Ellen's eyes. The Harvelles were old family friends and Ellen never missed a chance to tease Deanna if she found the opportunity.

Cassie just rolled her eyes at Deanna and smiled at Ellen as she placed Heaven in front of her, "Thank you, Mrs. Harvelle."

"Cassie stop with your too good manners and call me Ellen for christsake! You make me feel old callin me Mrs."

Deanna laughed and looked like she was about to comment on how old Ellen really was, but Ellen's glare told her if she wanted to keep her limbs intact she should shut her cakehole.

"Sorry, Ellen. Force of habit, I guess. I was raised very strictly," Cassie made a sad face not meeting anyone's eyes. People always told her she was too uptight and needed to pull the stick out of her ass. The mannerisms she was disciplined to learn, though, were hard to let go.

Deanna knowing Cassie's upbringing was taboo and totally a mood ruiner tried to change the topic, "So, Ellen, Jo working tonight?"

"No, actually, Ash took her out. They went to the movies or something."

"He finally grew the balls to ask her out, huh?" Deanna chuckled.

"Like you're one to talk," Ellen said without missing a beat.

Deanna narrowed her eyes at her, but Ellen just laughed and walked away. Deanna turned to Cassie to see a small smile on her lips. "What are you smirking at, Cas?"

"I just find it amusing how everyone scolds you for taking so long to ask me out and they just smile at me. When in reality, I made the first move. So, actually, Deanna you really never did grow the balls to ask me out. I'm guessing that's in a figurative sense, since you're anatomy wouldn't allow you to physically grow male parts. It's probably an insult somehow," Cassie trailed off, her eyebrows scrunching together, confused by the phrase. Deanna always thought it was cute how Cassie never understood sayings and pop culture references.

Deanna just smiled back at her, automatically returning the smile, not really knowing how to respond to that. It was true, Cassie had made the first move. When they had told their friends that they were now dating over a week ago, no one had been surprised. They just started exchanging money because of some bet on how long it would take for Deanna to tell Cassie how she felt. That should of annoyed Deanna, but she didn't really care. She did wonder why no on had even considered Cassie confessed to her first. She guessed it was because Cassie didn't seem to have that kind of courage in her, if you didn't really know her. She wasn't necessarily quiet, but she wasn't loud either. She looked mousy in her formal clothes and long tan trench coat. She sat well posed and was well mannered. Deanna guessed that made people think Cassie was cold and unpassionate, which was crazy in Deanna's opinion. Cassie was the most intimidating and impassioned person she knew.

Cassie distracted Deanna from her thoughts with a very arousing moan. "These make me very happy," she grinned with a mouthful of burger. Deanna chuckled and started in on her own burger.

After a moment Cassie stopped her inappropriate sounds and asked Deanna, "So, are caught up on all of your studies?"

Deanna groaned, "Yes, thank god, last week was hell." None of Deanna's teachers had welcomed Deanna back to class with a smile. Deanna apologized over and over, something she hated doing and promised to never treat them so disrespectfully by not showing up to class. She had practiced that line over and over with Cassie before hand. In Deanna's mind, she shouldn't have to apologize, she was the one paying for all the damn classes and the teachers still got their paychecks whether she showed up or not. Cassie had said it was the prinicple of the thing.

"Well, hey," Cassie squeezed Deanna's hand lightly, "Worst is over, right? Break starts in a few days. We get to go home."

"Yeah, Cas, we get to go home," Deanna smiled at her. Home. Cassie didn't speak with her parents and only talked to a few of her siblings, so she never spent holiday with them. She had always tugged along with Deanna back to the Winchester's. It had been hell the first year, trying to convince Cassie that she wouldn't be a burden and she was practically family. Mary had to threaten Cassie that if she didn't come for the next break, she'd just kidnap her. Cassie never argued again and it was always assumed that she was going as the Winchester siblings showed up at her apartment to pick her up at the start of every break. Cassie never outright said it, but Deanna knew she saw the Winchesters as much as family as Deanna herself did, especially when she let it slip like she just did calling it home. It was mutual, though. There was a saying in the Winchester household, "Family don't end with blood." It was as much expected for Cassie to show up as Bobby Singer and the Harvelles.

"What do you mean you're coming separate?" Deanna asked into the phone, "We always ride over together."

"Well, uh," Sam spoke nervously, "I'm bringing someone so..."

"Oooooh, Sammy, you sly dog," Deanna whooped, "Who's the lucky girl? Is it that hot nurse?"

Sam sighed, "You know she's not really a nurse right?"

Deanna rolled her eyes, "Yeah, I know, but it's all I've got to associate with her."

"I've told you her name a thousand times, Deanna."

"Yeah, well I forget."

"No, you just like to make me feel embarrassed."

"What's embarrassing about having hot nurse as a girlfriend?"

"She's not," Sam started but heard Deanna's snickering on the other line. "Whatever. Just don't reference her as the hot nurse. Her name's Jess."

"Yeah, yeah, Sammy. I won't embarrass you."

"Sure, you won't."

Deanna laughed, "Later, bitch."

Sam hung up after the instant reply, "Jerk."

Deanna walked to Cassie's room where she was currently deciding if the weather in the upcoming weeks would call for her blue scarf she was so fond of. "Cas, sweetheart, take it, don't take it. Can we just go?"

Cassie sighed at Deanna's impatience, but her cheeks turned pink at Deanna's pet name for her and folded the scarf into her suitcase. She turned off the lights, locked the door, and followed Deanna out to the parking lot. It was a short drive to the Winchesters', as the house was just on the other side of the city from the university.

Cassie noticed something was missing, "Wait, where's Sam?"

"Wow, Cas, nothing gets by you. He's gonna catch a ride with his new squeeze. He's bringing her home."

Cassie felt herself smile, "That's great! Jess is a nice girl."

"How do you know her? I've never even met her."

"She's in my neuroscience class. She's quite intelligent for her age."

"Neuroscience? Damn, Cas, how many classes are you taking?" Cassie never stopped surprising her. Cassie took a variety of classes from religious studies to linguistics.

"I just love to learn. I want to study everything. Besides, if I get bored with a career in religious studies, I have other majors to fall back on. If Gabriel is willing to pay for my education, I might as well learn all I can."

Gabriel, like Cassie, didn't speak to their parents. When he left at eighteen, he invited Cassie to join him and she gladly went. She was seventeen so if her parents even cared, there wasn't much they could do about her running away. Gabriel opened his own bakery, Sweet Treats, and Gabriel soon grew it into a great food chain with his business majors. He was now very well off after ten years of success. He made sure Cassie knew that she could use the money for college or whatever else she needed. He was a really good brother to Cassie, so Deanna put up with his cocky attitude. He was a fun guy, nevertheless.

"Yeah, that makes sense. What's Gabriel up to for the holidays, anyways? He coming down?" Deanna asked. A few times, he had come down to the Winchesters' for a few days, if he hadn't seen Cassie in a while and missed her.

"He's taking his fiance, Kali, to Italy, I think. You know, Gabriel. He's not much for the holidays. I think they remind him too much of home. When we first moved out, sure we spent the holidays together but we just treated them like vacations. We didn't put any decorations up or had holiday feasts. He'd usually take me on trips like he does now with Kali. Gabriel had it real bad at home, he was forced to stay home for the holidays by father, so with no escape they just became bad memories for him. He grew to hate the traditions and he tries to avoid anything that can bring those memories back."

Deanna sat there silent. Cassie didn't really talk about her family much, so she didn't know all the details. What she did know, was that Cassie's father was an extremist with his Christian beliefs and confined his children from the outside sinful world. Cassie and her siblings had been home schooled all their lives. He was an abusive asshole, too. Gabriel had been a rebellious teenage, Cassie had told her, and their father saw it as God's will to punish his son for his sins. Gabriel had scars covering his back in the shape of crosses, Deanna had saw them once when they went swimming and shuddered. Cassie was clearly scared of him amd had her own imprint of a cross burned on her lower back. Deanna doesn't know how they survived that house as long as they did, but was thankful Gabriel had rescued her angel before she got seriously hurt.

Deanna reached out and grabbed Cassie's hand instinctively, "Well, neither of you have to go back to that house. You both found your own homes. Gabriel with Kali and you with me. That man can't hurt you now, Cas."

Cassie leaned over and kissed Deanna's cheek, "I know, because I have you to protect me." Deanna felt a warmth in her stomach as she glanced at Cassie, just inches from her face.

Though Cassie was half joking, the seriousness of Deanna's tone when she replied, "Yeah, you do. I won't ever let anyone hurt you," still rang in the air when they pulled up to the Winchesters'.

Cassie wasn't out of the Impala for twenty seconds before she was met with Mary's open arms, "Cassie! It's so good to see you."

Cassie laughed, "You, too, Mrs. Win - Mary."

Mary smiled at her, "Well, ya'll come on in. Sam and Jess have already arrived."

"She's here? I can't wait to embarrass Sammy!" Deanna squealed from the trunk getting the luggage.

Mary smacked her on the back of the head, "You will do no such thing!" and walked back inside the house.

Cassie chuckled as Deanna rubbed her head. "Oh, shuttup, and get your ass over here and help me carry this shit inside."

Cassie kissed Deanna's head making her blush, before grabbing her suitcase inside. Deanna shook her head, had she just blushed at a kiss to the head? Was she already that far gone? She watched Cassie walk through the front door and felt her heart flutter. Yeah, she was and she was totally screwed.

Cassie tugged her suitcase over the threshold, and then John Winchester was there taking from her hands. He simply said, "Welcome home, Cassie," before turning to take the luggage upstairs to Deanna's old bedroom. Cassie felt her smile widen ear to ear. She would never get over the love and warmth she felt when she was in the Winchesters' home. It was so different from her childhood home that had felt more like a house than an actual home. Cassie would forever be grateful to the Winchesters for accepting her into their family.

Deanna came up behind her and sat her suitcase down, before tugging her to the kitchen. The only explanation to Deanna's haste being, "I wonder if Mom has any pies already made for the holidays."

With a triumph grin, Deanna pulled out two plates and served her and Cassie a slice of her favorite apple pie. Cassie sat down with her at the table as they ate, when something occurred to her.

"Deanna?"

Deanna didn't look up from her pie, "Hmm?"

"Does your family know?"

Deanna looked at her then. "Yeah, I already told them. Thought it's be less awkward over the phone."

Cassie stared at her waiting for her to continue and when she didn't, "And?"

Deanna paused for a minute before reluctantly elaborating on the most embarrassing phone call she had ever made, "Well, you know Mom, she was all happy and congratulating me. And John..."

Deanna's tip of her ears turned red and she dug back into her pie. "John?" Cassie probed. Had he been upset? Cassie remembered John's comforting welcome and tried to detect any falseness in his smile.

"He, uh, he thought we were already dating. He was really confused and continued to point out all the reasons why he thought that."

"What'd he say?" Cassie asked now curious and Deanna went beet red.

"Um, I don't really want to repeat it. That man seriously has no filter and finds nothing awkward discussing."

"Deanna, tell me what he said. Why are you blushing so red?"

She sighed defeated and imitated John in a gruff voice, "Well, you always invaded each other's personal space and the way you stared at each other like you were stripping the other with your eyes. God, the sexual tension in the air was so thick you could cut it with a knife. You made every excuse to touch each other. And one time I walked by the bathroom, Deanna, and over the running water I heard," Deanna abruptly stopped talking remembering she was going to leave that part out. The red had now spread to her neck and Cassie thought she looked so adorable all flustered.

Cassie held back a giggle, "And? What'd he hear, Deanna?"

Deanna stood up, "Ah hell, you know, Cas! Let's just never talk about that again." She dropped her dishes in the sink and went ahead and washed them as an excuse to not meet Cassie's eyes. She heard her chuckling quietly to herself and swiftly turned around to tell her to shuttup, but a blonde woman walked into the room.

"Are you Deanna?" she held out her hand to Deanna and Deanna shook it.

"Yeah, are you the hot nurse?"

She flushed but recovered quickly, "I'm Jess. How do you know about that?"

"Well, I remember how Sammy wouldn't shuttup about this hot nurse he met at a Halloween party for weeks. He was such a girl crying bout if he never met her again he'd just die. Looked up at me with theses big puppy dog eyes describing you down to the freckle between you're eyebrows, asking me if I knew you cuz he didn't catch your name or number. He was so smitten."

Then Sam walked in to find Jess kneeling over with laughter and groaned throwing his head back, "Oh my god, what did you tell her?"

Deanna and Cassie chuckled and watched Sam's eyes fill with terror as he went over embarrassing things in his head that his older sister could have told his new girlfriend.

Jess looked at him and laughed harder, "Oh my god, he does look like a puppy"

Sam looked at Deanna confused but Deanna just chuckled at his expense and grabbed Cassie and left the room.

She heard Sam digging his own grave as the door swung shut, "Did she tell you about -" She didn't even have to embarrass him, he was going to do it himself. Deanna chuckled again as they entered the living room and Cassie looked at her with a scolding look but Deanna saw her lips tugging into a smile, "You're horrible, Deanna."

Deanna just swung her arm over Cassie's shoulder and whispered in her ear, "Yeah, but you love me anyways."

Cassie pecked her on the lips, "Yes, I do."

Deanna was about to lean in and deepen the kiss, when Sam came up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder, "Hey, Deanna, I don't think you've realized something."

Deanna reluctantly turned away from her beautiful angel to Sam standing there, red tinting his cheeks, but a smug smile on his lips. Jess was behind him silently laughing at something and she looked winded.

"Oh, yeah? And what's that, baby brother?" Deanna smirked.

"Now that you're dating Cassie, I can embarrass you."

Deanna's smile faltered a little and there was a slight fear in her eyes, but she replied smoothly, "There's nothing you could say that would embarrass me. Cas already knows all of my deepest secrets."

"Oh, really?" Sam challenged, "What about that time when you came home from a field trip to the science museum wearing nothing but- "

Deanna let go of Cassie and tackled Sam to the couch. "Oh my god! Shuttup, you giant moose!"

Sam laughed under her, "No way in hell. You've tormented me for years. Put itching powder in my underwear and Nair in my shampoo! Told Ruby I wore women's clothes when I was little and Maddison I like to wear pink lace underwear. Now that you're finally in a serious relationship it's time for revenge, sister!"

"If you finish that story, I'll tell Jess about what really happened the night you turned twenty one."

Sam sat up, "Okay, but this isn't over."

Jess turned to Cassie where they were watching with amused expressions at the siblings' squabble, "Are they always like this?"

Cassie laughed, "You've no idea."

Bobby walked into the living room headed for the kitchen carrying a peach cobbler when he saw the siblings wrestling on the couch, "Oh, cut it out, ya idjits! Haven't been here five minutes, already breakin up a fight between ya."

Deanna got up and hugged Bobby in greeting, "Man, it's good to see you, Bobby," she then noticed the dish, "Hey, is that peach cobbler?"

Bobby rolled his eyes, "Are you a bottomless pit?" and turned to Cassie, "How ya doin, Cassie? Still puttin up with this one I see."

Cassie nodded at him and Deanna mocked hurt, "Hell is that supposed to mean? I am a catch, Bobby."

Bobby ignored her and held out his hand to Jess, "You must be this Jessica I keep hearin about?"

Jess shook his hand, "Yes, you must be Uncle Bobby?"

Bobby glanced at the Winchester siblings with a slight smile, "Yeah, nice to meet you." He then sauntered into the kitchen.

John bustled into the room with Mary following behind him. "Got you all set up; new sheets and fresh towels in the bathroom," he said to Deanna and Cassie.

"Thank you, John," Cassie replied sweetly.

"Yeah, I thought since you two are together now, I don't have to wear myself out blowing up an air mattress," John sighed gratefully sinking into his armchair, but then he turned seriously to Deanna, "But I don't wanna hear no funny noises in the middle of the night. Keep it quiet or keep it in your pants, Deanna."

Everyone laughed at the mortified face on Deanna, "Dad, oh my god!"

Sam snickered and Mary turned on him, "That goes for you, too, Sam. And use protection, I'm too young to be a grandmother."

Laughter filled the room as both siblings put their faces in their hands, embarrassed as their parents gave them the sex talk in front of their lovers. Cassie wrapped her arms around Deanna in comfort, but giggles still slipped out. She really loved this family and was glad she was home.


	3. You stole a baby Jesus?

p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Most days were spent playing board games with San and Jess, movie marathons, and Cassie even got Deanna to agree to go see the Christmas light show. Cassie had never felt happier./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Christmas morning Cassie woke up to Deanna gently shaking her excitedly, "Cas, wake up, it's Christmas!"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Cassie groaned rolling over away from Deanna. Deanna exhaled frustrated, "Caaaaas, waaaake uuuuup!"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Deanna, darling, you are such a child," Cassie muttered groggily, but got up stretching her arms. She looked at the clock and then gave Deanna a look like she would smite her./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Deanna! It is five in the morning! You're family isn't even awake yet and won't be for hours."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Deanna huffed, "I know, Cas. But I wanted to give you my present before everyone else wakes up."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Cassie rubbed the sleepiness out of her eyes and held out her hand expectantly, "Okay, give it to me."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Deanna laughed, "Nu-uh, sweetheart. It's outside. Get dressed."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Cassie grumpily got out of bed and dressed herself, muttering something about what a present could possibly be for it to be outside. Deanna already dressed in an Aerosmith shirt, jeans, and her black combat boots, was bouncing with joy waiting for Cassie. Deanna's happy face made Cassie's heart swell and she forgot about her exhaustion./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Alright, lead the way," Cassie said after she slipped her black pumps on. She wore a white button up and black slacks, like usual. The woman really was the most well dressed person Deanna had ever met./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Deanna grabbed her hand and tugged her down the stairs. They got to the door and Deanna stopped Cassie before she walked outside. "Cover your eyes. No peeking."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Cassie rolled her eyes with a smile at Deanna's dramatics, but obliged. Deanna grabbed her elbow and slowly led her outside. They stopped in what Cassie amused was the middle of the yard. Deanna whispered in her from behind her, "Okay, still no peeking, but hold out your hand."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Cassie shifted one hand over both of her eyes and held out her other. Deanna dropped something metallic in it and spun Cassie around, "Open your eyes, Cas."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Cassie opened her eyes and her jaw dropped at what was in front of her. Behind the Impala was a baby blue '66 Chevelle. It looked brand new. There was a red bow on the windshield. Cassie looked at Deanna who stood watching Cassie's reaction and she was speechless./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""You're-You're giving me a c-car?" Cassie stammered out./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Yeah, well, she's got nothing on the Impala, but she's pretty nice."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Cassie looked at her in disbelief, "A c-car?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Oh, it's not that big of a deal, Cas. It was a scrap piece of metal when I got a hold of it. I just made it all shiny and new. Bobby gave it to me for like only five hundred bucks. I finished remodeling it a few weeks ago. It's been sitting at Bobby's shop, he drove it over yesterday. Do you like it? I know you got a car, but it's a piece of junk and I don't even think I can fix it."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Cassie approached the car and ran her fingers across it. It really was beautiful. She peered inside and the seats were covered in fresh leather. You could've told her, it had been a collector's item and she would've believed you. There was no hint the car had even been a year old let alone decades. "Deanna, you're amazing."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""So, you like it?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Cassie ran over to her and tackled her with a hug and they both fell to the fresh blanket of snow from that morning. Deanna laughed at her, "I guess that's a yes?" she asked holding her./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""You're ridiculous. You don't just give people cars for Christmas, Deanna," Cassie pulled her head back to look at her girlfriend beneath her./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I don't just give people cars, Cas. I gave you a car. You're not just anybody."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Cassie pressed her lips to Deanna for a deep kiss. Deanna responded eagerly, nipping at her bottom lip. Cassie's tongue slid out and into Deanna's mouth wrapping around her's. Deanna slide one of her hands under Cassie's shirt and ran her palm along Cassie's back. Cassie shivered at the cold touch, but didn't stop her. She left Deanna's lips and placed open mouth kisses to Deanna's jawline and as she was moving farther down the other girl's neck, when she heard a car honk. Cassie stopped and met Deanna's eyes. They started laughing as they got off the ground but didn't let each other go as they walked back inside./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Cassie dragged Deanna back up the stairs as Deanna complained about needing caffeine in her system soon. "I want to give you my present now," Cassie said in reply. "Not comparable to a car, but...'' she said under her breath./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Cassie dropped Deanna's hand and crawled under the bed she difficulty pulled out a heavy box wrapped in black paper. It looked hard to life, so Deanna just knelt beside it. She looked up at Cassie for further instruction./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Now, this isn't a car, but," Cassie spoke unsteady, "I hope you like it," she gestured to the box./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Cas, I don't care how much it cost, don't belittle your gift just because I got you a car."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Cassie gave her a small smile, "Alright, well have at it."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Deanna grinned with excitement and tore at the black paper to see just a blank box. She growled annoyed and impatient. She reached for her pocket knife on the bedside table and cut the tape off. Before she opened the box, Cassie cautioned, "Be careful, it's heavy." Deanna reached her hands in blindly and grabbed onto cold metal and pulled the object out with a huff, "Holy shit, Cas, what is this?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"When she succeeded in getting it out she sat it down on the ground before really looking at it. Then her eyes went a little wide. She had never seen one before in person, but had always wanted one since she was a kid./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Cas is this -"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""An antique typewriter, yes. I know you've always desired one and always comment when you see one in an old movie," Cassie reached behind her and pulled out a little bag from under the bed, "I bought new ribbon and paper, too. Whatever you may need."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Cas," Deanna's face was in awe, "This is awesome. I'll totally use it like nonstop."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I thought it'd be a good gift since you wanted one anyway and you're toying with the idea of being a writer."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Toying?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Well, you still haven't dropped your architecture classes. But I see the way you leave your creative writing and journalism classes. You love it and you know it."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Deanna smiled at her, Cassie really did always notice everything about her. It made her feel loved, having someone who knew her so well right down to the classes she actually liked without her even saying anything about it. "Thanks, Cas."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Cassie pecked her on the lips and pulled her up, "Come on, let's get some coffee in you, before you massacre the city."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"-/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The rest of the family finally got up and they started opening presents. Cassie still got a small jolt when she was handed presents as well, even after four years. In her family, they didn't celebrate Christmas with gifts, but with worship in the church. Her father had told her it was Jesus's birthday, why should we get gifts? She was happy to see that everyone was pleased with the presents she had given them, even though they always scolded her for spending so much./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Ellen, Jo, and Ash came by that evening for the Christmas dinner. Along with Bobby who brought Jody Mills, the sheriff, the family was finally complete. The whole time, Deanna poked at Ash and Jo asking about the details of their date and when she didn't get anything out of them, she prodded Bobby and Jody about what was going on with them theses days./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Bobby finally snapped after Deanna asked Jody if she'd seen Bobby without a cap covering his head, "Why you so damn interested in other people's business?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Deanna smirked, "Why, Bobby, I just care and want to know what's going on with my family."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Uh-huh," Bobby narrowed his eyes at Deanna's innocence, "You don't see me asking you how you and miss trench coat over here finally got your shit together."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Jo leaned into the conversation, liking Bobby's form of attack, "Yeah, Deanna? What exactly did happen? Did Cassie bake you a pie and you realized she was perfect and you finally attacked her?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Deanna looked away from Jo and her pointing her fork at Deanna questionably. "No, not exactly," she mumbled, knowing this is what she got for not minding her own damn business and she shouldn't get mad./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Then, what?" Mary asked. That made Deanna look back up and glance around the table. Besides a blushing Cassie, everyone had openly curious faces./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I," Deanna stammered taking in a breath, "I got used by a girl so she could see if she was a lesbian and I snapped. I was on the edge of alcohol poisoning and suicide, drunk myself crazy for a week before Cassie showed up, probably would've died if she hadn't. Drunk and in a bad place, I told Cassie I was feeling like a used condom and wanted an apple pie life. She told me she would be that for me and that's that."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"There was an awkward silence as the happy atmosphere was strangled with Deanna's words. She felt kinda bad, but hell they had asked and she just told them the truth. None of them thought she was a saint, and all of them knew she was an alcoholic, well maybe not Jess, but she knew now. She looked around the table and caught her mother's reaction. She eyes were locked on Deanna in shock and she looked like she was on the verge of tears. Jo and Bobby looked guilty for asking, but they couldn't have known. John and Sam were looking at her with worry . Ellen resembled her mom's face. Jess and Jody who she didn't know too well, looked like they wanted to comfort her. Cassie, next to her, just interlocked their fingers, resting them on her knee./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Deanna sighed heavily and tried to play it off. She forced a smile and laughed, "Well, hey that's over and done with. Let's celebrate the birth of baby Jesus."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"There was still silence for a minute before John rescued her, "Yeah, let's continue the evening. Forget all that romance relationship crap. Speaking of baby Jesus, hey, Jess, wanna hear about how me and Bobby got stole a baby Jesus and had to hide in a barn from the cops all of Christmas Eve?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Jess played along and chuckled, "You stole a baby Jesus?" she asked bewildered./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Well, it all started when Bobby's Christmas Eve date, Jennifer, ditched him."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Bobby groaned, "Now wait a damn minute..."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"They continued to bicker and John retold stories from his and Bobby's crazy teenage years and the previous atmosphere was dissipated. Deanna caught her father's eyes and gave him a grateful smile, which he returned with a wink./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Dessert finally rolled around, it took a little too long in Deanna's opinion and everyone laughed at her obsession with pie, which she greatly defended./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Mary got up from the table and asked, "Cassie, dear, will you help me bring the desserts out?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Cassie nodded, "Of course, Mary," and followed her into the kitchen./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"After the door swung shut, Mary turned on Cassie and placed her hands on the girl's shoulders, "Cassie?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Yes?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Was Deanna really that far gone? She almost died?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Cassie looked at her sadly, but didn't want to lie to her, "She was in a very bad place, Mary, just like she said. I don't think Deanna's capable of suicide. She's too selfless. She would think about how that would affect her family and not be able to do it. But, yes, if I had been even a day later, Deanna surely would've died from alcohol poisoning."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Mary covered her mouth with her hand and tears rolled down her cheeks. "I knew," she choked out, "I knew Deanna had been depressed, but I thought she had got past that after she met you."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Well, you can never really escape something like that not completely. Things can happen and you can slip back into it."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Mary hugged Cassie tightly, "You saved her, Cassie. In more ways than one and on more than one occasion. Thank you for not letting me lose my daughter."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Cassie patted her on the back soothingly, "Mary, you raised a wonderful person. She was worth saving. And I didn't really do much, I was just there for her when she needed me."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""But that did save her. I'm so thankful for you, Cassie. I couldn't ask for a better extension to this family. You're as much a daughter to me as Deanna is."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Cassie felt a single tear escape her eyes, "I'm happy to be a part of this family."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Mary pulled away and wiped at her eyes, "Okay, now let's get these pies out there before Deanna has an anurism."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Cassie laughed and did as she was told. They walked out and were welcomed with an enthusiastic cheer from Deanna, "So, beautiful. Come here to Mama."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Cassie joked, "Well, you're not too bad yourself, Deanna."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Deanna barely glanced at her before tearing into the apple pie, "I was actually talking to the pies. But you're gorgeous as well, sweetheart."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Everyone chuckled and Sam whispered on Cassie's other side, "You should just leave her. Give her a bakery and just leave her."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Cassie put on a devious face and leaned towards him, "My brother does own a long chain of bakeries. This could be doable."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I can hear you, you know," Deanna said through a mouthful of food./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Can't even eat with her mouth closed. Yeah, just leave her, Cas, she only needs pie in her life," Sam teased./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Jess smacked him on the arm, "Cut it out, Sam. I remember you being just as in love with your veggie shakes. Don't be a hypocrite."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Sam looked at her shocked for being scolded and Deanna laughed, "Oh, I like her. Any woman who can put Sammy in his place, is good in my book. You have my blessing to marry the hot nurse."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Jess laughed, "Thank you, Deanna. I appreciate it." Sam was still sitting there like a kicked puppy./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Hey, Jess, Cas said you're in her neuroscience class. You wanna be brain surgeon or something?" Deanna asked./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Actually, yeah I do."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Deanna started laughing uncontrollably and Jess looked at her confused, "Why's that so funny?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""You gotta be a nurse kinda before a doctor, right?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Cassie saw where this was going and chuckled, too, "Yes."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""So, Sammy, until Jess becomes a doctor, I can keep calling her hot nurse."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Jess laughed, but Sam just turned to her, "I am so sorry."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""What? A little birdie told me, that's how you knew referred to me for weeks until we met up again."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Sam blushed and glared at Deanna and a thought occurred to him, "Hey little birdie?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Deanna looked up, "Little brother?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Did you also tell Cassie about the time you went skinny dipping in a stranger's pool and you didn't know they had a dog, and you ran for three blocks stark naked?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Cassie chuckled and looked at Deanna with raised eyebrows, "Three blocks?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Oh, but that isn't it, Cassie," Sam continued with an evil smile, "This dog was a little shitzu."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Deanna was about to kill her brother as her girlfriend laughed next to her, but she figured torture was better, "So, Jess, these pink panties..."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"They whole table spent the rest of the night telling embarrassing stories trying to beat each other. Cassie had never laughed so much in one night./p 


	4. Did you run to catch up with me?

"Three!...Two!...One! Happy New Year!" loud cheers filled the room from the drunk college students. With the beginning of the new year, as tradition dictated, couples kissed to start off the year. Deanna kissed Cassie, Sam kissed Jess, and Cassie even caught a glimpse of Charlie sneaking one on Dorothy. Cassie pulled away to see Deanna's eyes shinning bright.

Garth the host of the party slung his arms over both of the girls and hugged them tightly, "Man, it's great you guys could come."

Cassie hugged him back, while Deanna patted him awkwardly, "Yeah, great party, Garth. You have a really nice place."

Garth let them go and looked bashful, "Oh, it's nothing much. I just inherited it from my father. In my opinion, the big ol' house can get pretty lonely, living here all by your lonesome." Garth looked sad for a moment, before his usually happy face was back wearing a cheerful smile. Garth was a good person and he didn't really seem the party type, so Deanna and Cassie were a bit surprised when he invited them, but the party was a big turn out. Deanna knew him through Bobby, he was a distant cousin or something so Bobby offered him a job at the auto shop for a while. Deanna didn't like him at first, thought he was too happy all the time, but he grew on her. And they became friends again, when she ran into him at the college.

"Are you guys gonna stay longer? I think they're setting up beer pong in the basement," Garth asked nursing his own red solo cup.

Deanna took a swig from her water bottle. She had remained sober since her and Cassie started going out and she intended to keep it that way. She didn't want to disappoint her. Even though Cassie told her a beer every now and again was okay as long as she didn't over do it, Deanna saw the way Cassie brightened whenever Deanna denied a drink. It was like she was proud of her and Deanna never wanted that smile to leave Cassie's face.

"Nah," Deanna answered, "I think I'm gonna go ahead and home. Early classes in the morning. Cas?"

Cassie nodded her head, "Yes, I think I'll be leaving, too. I had a nice time, Garth, Thank you for inviting us."

Garth smiled, "Feel free to come by anytime. Ya'll be careful on your way home."

They said their goodbyes to their friends and headed out into the cool night air. Deanna started walking towards the Impala and realized Cassie wasn't behind her, "Cas? You coming?"

Cassie stood on the sidewalk, "No, I think I'll walk. I want enjoy the fresh air."

Deanna looked at her uneasily, "You sure, Cas? I don't mid driving you."

"I'll be fine. My apartment is just a street over. Won't take me ten minutes," Cassie reassured her.

"Well, if you say so," Deanna still looked at her worriedly, "Call me if you need anything."

Cassie waved at Deanna as she pulled out and into the street. She turned in the direction to her apartment, when she caught sight of Chuck stumbling out of the party.

"Hello, Chuck, are you headed home as well?"

Chuck walked over to her, "Yeah, but I think I'll walk. I had a few too many beers to be driving. I just hope I don't trip and pass out into the bushes or something."

"I'll walk with you since we're headed the same way," Cassie offered. Chuck looked like he needed someone to lean on. He was swaying slightly from side to side and Cassie didn't think he was over exaggerating at the possibility of passing out on the streets. He lived in her building so it wasn't a big deal anyway.

Chuck sighed gratefully, "Thanks, Cassie."

They strolled wrapped in their coats, talking about classes and other random things. Cassie thought she should text Deanna, she knew she worried.

Cassie: I ran into Chuck. He's accompanying me home. So, don't worry.

Seconds later she got a reply.

Deanna: Good. Chuck's a good guy. He won't let anything happen to you. You really shouldn't walk by yourself at night.

Cassie was about to text out a reply, when Chuck nudged her arm. The walk had sobered him up a bit and he was walking steadier.

"Hey, Cassie, I'm sorry, but I need to run into this book store real quick. I forgot I needed a book for my philosophy class," he pointed at the bookstore across the street, surprisingly still open.

"Oh, that's fine, Chuck. I can make it home by myself."

Chuck looked at her with uncertainty, "You sure? I mean I'll only be a minute if you wanna wait."

"No, that's okay. Goodnight, Chuck."

Chuck nodded goodnight back at her, before crossing the street and entering the bright lit book store. Cassie continued her walk through the dim streets. After, she turned the corner, she heard heavy breathing behind her. She laughed without turning around, "Wow, that was fast. Did you run to catch up with me?"

When there was no reply, Cassie looked over her shoulder expecting an out of breath Chuck, but there was no one. She searched the street, but there wasn't a soul to be seen. Telling herself it was the wind, Cassie started on her walk again, but quickened her pace just in case.

She could see her apartment in the distance and breathed a sigh of relief. But then she heard light footsteps behind her. She ignore them and slipped into a faster walk, almost a jog. But the footsteps only matched her pace and sped with her. Too scared to turn around, Cassie full out sprinted to her building. She rushed into the warm lobby, her heart pounding in her chest. After a minute and checking to see if the security guard was still at his post, she peeked out into the street. No one was there, again.

Cassie lay in bed that night with a sense of fear in her heart she couldn't seem to shake. She knew it was silly, but the small dagger under her pillow made her feel secure enough for her to get an hour or two. She didn't tell Deanna about it the next day, assuming it was a fluke of a thing and wouldn't happen again.

"Deanna," Professor Missouri called her back as the students left the classroom. Deanna internally groaned wondering what she had done now.

"Yes?"

"Child, don't always assume a teacher talking to you is a bad thing. Stop slumping your shoulders."

"Sorry."

"I wanted to talk to you about the piece you submitted."

"Yeah?" Deanna eyed her nervously.

"I asked to write about an adventure. Most students wrote about traveling and things that sounded like it came out of the Lord of the Rings. But you wrote about hunting monsters?"

Deanna scratched the back of her head awkwardly, "Uh, yeah. I watched horror movies a lot with my dad as a kid."

"I was very impressed."

"What?"

"Deanna, I thought it was brilliant and very symbolic."

Deanna didn't look her in the eye, embarrassed, "Oh, you caught that, huh? Well, you know the family so I guess I should have expected it."

"I didn't say it was a bad thing. People could simply read it for entertainment, but also if you looked closely you could see what you were really talking about."

Deanna felt like Missouri had just read her diary and she regretted her writing peace. But Missouri gave her a smile and continued, "I noticed that your father kept disappearing, that must have been him going off to rehab? And the monsters, the alcoholism that your father battled and then you?"

Deanna looked at her shoes, "Uh, yeah."

"And you felt like you were dragging Sam down with you? Is that why he kept getting hurt?"

Deanna didn't reply as she went on, "Then, you went to Hell and an angel saved you."

A blush crept up Deanna's neck and Missouri chuckled, "Well, whoever it is. I'm glad you have them and the story could end happily."

Deanna let out a nervous laugh, "What are you? A mind reader? Damm, it wasn't supposed to reveal all of that."

"I can be very intuitive. Keep up the good work, Deanna. You have a bright future ahead of you."

Deanna nodded and thanked her before walking out. Outside the doors she let out a shaky breath. Maybe she shouldn't have wrote something so personal, but Missouri was probably the only person who would see all of that. She pulled out her phone to call Cassie for lunch. But there was no answer, which was weird because Cassie usually answered after the second ring. She shook the thought off that something was wrong and assumed Cassie was just in the shower or something. As she was walking towards the Impala, her phone chirped. She pulled it out and her heart stopped.

Cassie: Help. I think someone's in my home.


End file.
